


Coffee Date Noodle Date

by academy_x



Category: New X-Men: Academy X, X-Men (Comicverse), Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Rewrite, David Alleyne centric, M/M, POV David Alleyne, References to New X-Men: Academy X, Sorry for tagging this as X-Men but David Alleyne is forever an X-Man in my heart, YA vol 2 but better?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-19 01:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29499876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/academy_x/pseuds/academy_x
Summary: What if Tommy and David were dating when Tommy disappeared?A retelling of Young Avengers vol. 2 from David Alleyne's point of view that includes: Romance! Action! X-Men related childhood trauma! Killing and grilling a mutant frog creature! And much much more!
Relationships: David Alleyne & Young Avengers, David Alleyne/Tommy Shepherd
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47





	Coffee Date Noodle Date

**Author's Note:**

> about three years ago i finally finished this fic aka my masterpiece and told myself i would set time aside to properly edit and rewrite it. then i never did. i still havent and i dont know if i would call it my masterpiece but i enjoyed reading it and it reminded me of when i used to be really into young avengers so i thought i would share it. when youre finished, try guessing my favorite young avenger im sure its difficult ;-)

David's workday is finally over, and all he can think of is how much he doesn't want to show tomorrow. He's mentally running through reasons not to quit then and there, rent money, not leaving any more gaps on his cv, having a job he can explain to his parents, getting his life back on track. His thoughts are interrupted by some white-haired guyed asking him out for noodles. David says yes for some reason. Maybe because he's bored and lonely. Maybe because the guy who introduces himself as Tommy is handsome, even though David is very deliberately not thinking about how it's no longer only women who catch his eye.

Of course, before the noodles, Tommy's got work to do, it'll only be five minutes. So Tommy's that speedster. David takes another look at him, curious if he's the same guy who ran with the Young Avengers way back when.

They head down to the basement. The assembly desks are laid out with components. David makes some inane comment about how it must be nice to work five minutes a day, and then spends the next five minutes kicking himself for saying just that. As Tommy points out, it isn't five minutes for him. It's two weeks. And David thought he was wrapped up in his own little bubble, caught up in the routine of work, eat, sleep, repeat. Tommy has just spent weeks alone, doing nothing but assembly work. At least any conversation David can provide is sure to be scintillating by comparison.

Tommy snaps out of his work, coming down to a speed the eye can follow.

"Let's go!" he says, grabbing hold of David's hand and marching out of the office.

David is forced to powerwalk to keep up. He guesses he could wrench his hand free and demand Tommy keep a normal pace, but honestly the hand-holding is feeling kind of nice. They stop in front of a noodle place. The faded sign offers both take-out and eat-in. David has a vague memory of them making good mushroom broth. David is also certain he's never been to this restaurant in his life. He doesn't have time to reflect on this because Tommy pulls him along and shoves him onto a bench before sliding in next to him. A server comes up and asks what they'd like, and Tommy orders for both of them. David doesn't mind, he was having trouble making a decision anyway. He's a little too caught up on the way Tommy's thigh is pressed against his own. Maybe he is a little touch-starved. Maybe Tommy has a bit of inherited magnetism because David can't imagine moving away.

"God, this fucking job," Tommy says, looking at where the waiter disappeared off to, not at David.

David hides his face in his hands and groans.

"How often do you do that during work? After every call?"

"During calls, sometimes."

Tommy laughs.

"You know what kind of calls I get?" David asks. "Hey, I found this radioactive goop in my garden, should I poke it? I answer NO, call over. Five minutes later, new call: Hey, I touched this radioactive goop, and now I'm melting, help? Like, come on! I'm sorry the media lied and said you'd get powers from it, but you won't. Just go to the emergency room."

"Like just get your powers they way regular people do. Be a mutant like me!" Tommy says, then pauses for a beat. "At least, I'm like 98 % sure I'm a mutant."

Tommy launches into a story from when he first manifested, and he's telling it like it's a joke, but it's obvious some serious shit went down. David nearly says something about how Tommy should have been at Xavier's, that he hadn't belonged in super-juvie, but honestly being at Xavier's might have traumatized him more, maybe even killed him.

Their noodles arrive. Tommy is talking about his old team now, namedropping former Young Avengers left and right. No doubt about it, this is definitely Speed. David remembers crowding around the tv with the other students, following their escapades closely. So much shit was happening in real life at the time that it was nice to just watch them fight and dream about being a superhero fighting for justice, not a mutant fighting for your life.

"Thanks for taking me out for noodles," David says.

"No problem. With all the work I do, I can certainly afford to treat you," Tommy says.

David hadn't been aware that Tommy was treating him. There are implications to Tommy paying. Implications that David doesn't mind at all. He doesn't have time to dwell on this because Tommy starts telling him about this movie he watched, and David has to give him his undivided attention to follow Tommy's trail of thoughts. He wants to follow them.

"Yeah, I'll watch movies sped up with no sound, just subtitles. Mostly foreign films because I mean I'm already watching it subbed, why not watch something where I don't get much from the audio anyway. Mostly people are surprised about the foreign film thing, you know. Are you surprised, David?" Tommy asks.

"Not really. I've had you pegged as a guy containing multitudes for a while," David says, an easy smile on his face.

"Multitudes?" Tommy says with a laugh. "Ha! I like that. Nicely put, David."

David feels his cheeks heating up, and he busies himself eating noodles. It's borderline embarrassing how happy he gets hearing Tommy say his name. He's said it a lot, already. He talks a lot, but David doesn't mind. Most of what Tommy says is funny or interesting or flattering. Besides he listens too. He has a way of focusing on David that makes him want to talk. David tells him a little about his powers and everything that went down. Tommy, bless him, doesn't ask a single question that forces David to bring up X-Men drama. It's not that he thinks Tommy isn't interested, he would definitely listen if David brought it up. When they're together, he gets the feeling that everything that happened in the past is irrelevant. It's the David here and now that matters to Tommy.

In twenty minutes, David has learned more than he'd ever need to know about the Young Avengers. Tommy, it turns out, is simultaneously an oversharer and extremely emotionally closed off. A lot of his stories are about back when he was superheroing with the team. They all paint him as funny and cool, and his team, his brother especially, as uptight and boring. David doesn't mind, doesn't find it repetitive at all. Honestly he can relate because nearly all his good stories are from his time with the X-Men, but he can never tell them. When he does, people tend to look at him with concern and ask if he's seeing a therapist for the trauma. Maybe that's part of why David likes Tommy so much. David can tell him that funny anecdote about the time he had to sleep in a rundown empty apartment-building with no heating, and how his friend Sofia had bundled up in five sweaters without getting into how the reason they were staying there was because the school had blown up again. Without Tommy looking at him with eyes full of pity and going _Oh, it must have been so hard_.

David might have missed something in the conversation while going on that inner monologue because Tommy is looking expectantly at him. When David doesn't answers, he tuts and shakes his head.

"I was saying, David, I don't know how you're doing it, but you're rocking those dad clothes," Tommy says.

David hardly thinks a brown cardigan on top of a white button-down qualifies as _"dad clothes"_ _._ He isn't even wearing the cardigan, having taken it off because he felt too hot. It hangs neatly over the back of the bench. David doesn't say any of this though, instead the words "Well, we can't all look like models with artfully tussled hair and tight jeans," fly out of his mouth. A bead of sweat runs down David's back. This is coming dangerously close to flirting.

Tommy laughs and runs a hand through the aforementioned hair, pushing it out of his eyes. It looks so soft. It hasn't been styled with any product so it's probably perfect for running your fingers through.

"Don't put yourself down, David. You're a good-looking guy. Ten out of ten," Tommy says. "I'm an 11, of course."

David laughs at this, but he's starting to wonder how much of it is a joke. It's been a while since he's hung out with guys his age, but he's pretty sure he doesn't remember complimenting each other this much. Then again most of his close friends had been girls so maybe David missed that particular bonding ritual. Either way there's no denying that David likes Tommy. He's easy to talk to (and easy on the eyes). He's funny, nice and probably a mutant, which shouldn't matter at all, but it does. As much as David has been running as far way from the X-Men as he can get, there's no denying how huge a part of his life they are. Were. Point being, that Tommy is nice and exactly the kind of friend David has been needing. And then there's that spark he's been feeling, that thing that definitely isn't friendship. He needs to stop being such a goddamn coward and act. That's what you do with hypothesises, you test them out, get them confirmed or denied.

"Is this a date?" David asks. He is acutely aware of how Tommy's body lines up with his, shoulders brushing against each other.

Tommy slurps up his noodle and doesn't answer. David looks away. He doesn't regret asking. He doesn't. He's just a little apprehensive about how things are about to get very awkward very fast. He would like to think he's learned at least a little from his relationship with Nori. Miscommunication had caused nearly every problem they ever had. David is willing to give his past self a pass because he was a dumb angsty teenager, but current David has no excuse. He has to ask the hard, embarrassing questions. Tommy laughs nervously, and David turns to look at him.

"Do you want it to be a date?" Tommy asks.

"Do you?" David replies. Maybe it's a little mean to turn the question right back on him.

Tommy, again, doesn't answer immediately. Instead he looks down into his noodles. Most of them are gone already. Tommy scarfs down the rest till all that's left is some leafy green vegetable bits that Tommy so far has done his best to avoid. David nearly thinks Tommy is about to eat them too, but instead he puts his chopsticks down and pushes away the empty box. He leans back a little and stretches with lazy confidence. David looks at him, eyebrows raised. Tommy grins back.

"Yeah. Sure. Why not?" Tommy says, and he's got a flirty look in his eyes that he's definitely practiced in the mirror a hundred times, but dammit if it isn't working a little.

David smiles. He gives Tommy's leg a romantic nudge under the table. Tommy retaliates with a decidedly unromantic kick. The whole thing turns into an impromptu wrestling match, fought while sitting, that only stops when a server gives them a dirty look. David's cheeks are burning, but Tommy doesn't even have gall to look ashamed. The arm that was choking out David seconds ago, is now casually slung over David's shoulder.

"We better go," David says, and Tommy is already fishing out his wallet from the pocket of his jeans, getting ready to pay then leave.

"Where should we go next? Wanna go clubbing, we should definitely go clubbing?" Tommy says as he's pulling David down the street.

"Aren't you tired?" David asks because Tommy has complained a lot of about how his work leaves him nearly dead on his feet.

"Yeah, but life's short. I wanna dance, David. With you," Tommy says.

"Fuck it," David says because Tommy is right, and his energy is infectious.

They take the bus further downtown because Tommy refuses to walk at a normal speed, and David can only powerwalk so far before enough is enough. The bus is full, and they squeeze into one seat, David sitting on Tommy's lap. Tommy was touchy when this was a friendly outing. Now that it's been decided that it's a date, he has dialed it up to eleven. David likes it a lot. More than he usually does when strangers touch him. He supposes Tommy counts for at least aqcuaintance now, but David also don't like those touching him most of the time. Tommy must be special.

"I've never actually been on a date with a guy," Tommy says into his ear.

"Me neither," David says. He thinks, _hopes_ , he sounds casual.

They spend the rest of the bus ride whispering funny observations about the other passengers to each other and pointedly not talking about sexuality, which is fine with David. The whole thing almost doesn't feel real. Maybe when they've flirted enough, been on more dates (and David is already sure there will be more), maybe when they have kissed, David will dare to believe himself. Maybe then he can start to quantify and label and figure everything out. Right now David needs to be in the moment and not in his head, for once. He doens't know if Tommy feels the same or if his reason for not delving further into the topic is something else entirely, but either way David is grateful. If he's being entirely honest with himself, he would probably have freaked out if Tommy wasn't so distracting.

After standing in line for what feels like forever, mostly because Tommy keeps groaning and tapping his foot, they finally enter the club. David barely has time to take it all in, pulsing lights and repetive electronic beats, before Tommy grabs his hand and pulls him into the writhing mass of bodies that pass for a dancefloor.

"Great club, right?" Tommy shouts. "Even this early it's already packed. Just wait till after midnight."

David tries saying that there is no fucking way he is staying that long, but his words get swallowed up by the music. No matter how fun and easy to be around and generally wonderful Tommy has proven himself to be, David can still only do so many hours of social interaction before passing out. He's completely out of shape when it comes to these things. His free time the last months was spent at home, alone in his apartment with only the occasional text from an old friend to break the monotony.

Maybe he can tell that David is disappearing into his head because Tommy pushes his body against David, grinding to the rhythm, and David abandons any coherent thought. His body moves with Tommy's on instinct. Tommy grins and pushes David into a wilder choreography. Tommy isn't the most technically gifted dancer, but he more than makes up for it in spirit. David is mesmerized. He feels like he is floating, barely in control of his body. Tommy beams at him.

"Holy shit!" Tommy screams. "You're incredible at this. I should have known, you told me the thing with the powers, but holy shit, David!"

David smiles back, and the smile turns into a bubbling laugh. He isn't sure if he's forgotten how much he likes dancing or if dancing with Tommy is what makes it so fun.

-

It's the morning after, and David is worn out, but his head isn't aching more than usual. He's glad he had the foresight to quit after two drinks yesterday. He hadn't needed them anyway, just being around Tommy was intoxicating. It's probably all just the pent up repressed bisexuality and the fact that Tommy is the first person he's had a real connection with in far too long, but David is falling hard and fast. If Tommy wants to slow down, or quit entirely, that's fine, and David will deal with it somehow, but for now he's going to have fun.

He picks out another cardigan to wear so Tommy has something to make fun of. They decided to meet up for coffee before work, and Tommy is already there when David enters the café. David isn't really sure about dating, despite having an unwanted library of romance novels permanently etched into his brain. His main experience comes from Nori, and they were friends before they were anything else. He went to school with her, trained with her, practically lived with her. They'd seen each other every day. It had been nice, before it all went hell, but hadn't given David a lot of tips on how to handle the inital getting to know each other, feel each other out phase of dating. He is pretty sure you're supposed to play coy or something, wait days before texting, before planning more dates, but whatever. Tommy had texted him good night last night, and here they were meeting for coffee. David should be more anxious about not following the unwritten rules of dating, but Tommy is waving at him and looking so genuinely pleased to see him that David's heart soars.

"Took you long enough," Tommy says and hands him a coffee. "I got a black coffee 'cause I didn't know how you liked it, but there's room for milk, and I can run and get you that or sugar no problem, just say the word."

"Black's perfect," David says, taking a sip. It's a little more bitter than he normally prefers, but David has never cared that much about taste. He mostly started drinking coffee to seem mature and then kept going to get rid of the bone-deep weariness. It never worked that well.

Tommy is complimenting David, talking about how smart he is, how he's way too good for this bullshit job, and it's a hidden invitation to talk about his backstory. David surprises himself and takes it. To Tommy's credit, he doesn't bat an eye when David tells him he used to be a part of a group of mutant _"terrorists"._ He spits out the word.

And yeah, he's still resentful of everyone who's so fucking quick to label him, label Cyclops a terrorist, and he still doesn't think he did anything wrong. The real problem was how it never worked. Mutants aren't much better off today than they were yesterday. The main reason David ditched team Cyclops was because he felt hopeless. Things kept getting worse, and Scott's response was to get more ideological, give more powerful speeches and make grand useless gestures. David felt hollow and forgotten in the spectacle. He needed to get out, so he did. Then the calls came from old friends and teachers who thought he'd finally seen the light and was ready to join Wolverine's camp, come back to the school, but he didn't want to do that either. David isn't on one side or the other. He's just tired. None of it works, not fighting the world that hates and fears you, not fighting to protect it. He doesn't tell Tommy all of this, but he thinks, maybe one day he could, and Tommy would understand.

"You probably know Magneto better than me then," Tommy says.

"I guess," David says carefully, feeling like this is a test. "I mean I've sat next to him at dinner and stuff like that. If I met him in the grocery store, I'd say hello."

"Cool. Whatever. Don't know why I even brought it up," Tommy says, and the conversation moves on easier topics, like the latest robot movie or what celebrity would win in an eating contest.

David has just worked up the nerve to hold Tommy's hand under the table when he realizes they're late for work. David rushes up, pulling Tommy along him for a change. Five minutes later and with a sheen of sweat on his forehead, David strolls casually into the office, right behind Tommy. No one notices they're late, or that they arrived together, probably distracted by the multiple cops milling about. Something is going on. David plans to cling to the wall and see what he can pick up from the conversations around him, but Tommy just walks right up to their boss and asks.

It turns out someone broke in and stole all the stuff that Tommy spent no time, or alternatively: ages, assembling yesterday. What's worse, the cctv footage shows an individual wearing a mask and costume that Tommy and David both recognize. One quick phonecall later, and Tommy, at least, is certain it isn't former Young Avenger Patriot who robbed the warehouse. David's mind is racing, wondering why someone would bother stealing random components, what the motive might be. He nearly doesn't pick up on the fact that Tommy just voluntered them both for stake-out duty. When David protests this, Tommy says he would help David out the same and calls them friends. David questions this, Tommy gives him a look that says _What would you prefer I called you?_ and pats him on the shoulder, before running off.

David spends the workday on autopilot which is easy enough considering most of his callers need help that can be summed up as 'Don't touch it' or 'Run away'. His thoughts keep turning to tonight's excursion. David isn't really sure how he feels about it, a little excited and a lot annoyed. He'd hoped maybe Tommy would want to do something fun, watch a movie, eat ice cream. He's a little confused about why Tommy even voluntered. So far he has had very little good to say about the actual Patriot. He shouldn't care about stopping an imposter. But maybe David is being a little mean here, a little hypocritical, just because he wants Tommy all to himself. David would certainly drop everything to help out if any of his old classmates called, even though he hasn't talked to most of them in months or more. Even if they wouldn't do the same. After everything he's said and done, he understands.

-

After work, David makes a brief stop at home to change into athletic wear, combat boots and heavy trousers he can move in, a knife strapped to his thigh. He also makes scrambled eggs. He shoves his bullet-proof vest in a duffelbag so he can bring it on the bus. He doubts he'll need it, probably the thief won't even return to the crime scene, but David would rather be over-prepared than the reverse. He's pointedly not wearing his uniform. It's been buried in the depths of his closet, underneath a bunch of other old stuff. David isn't sure if he'll ever wear it again, but he can't quite bear to throw it out either.

The bus takes forever. David's sitting squeezed in between two people. Someone's watching videos on their phone without headphones, and the noise is grating. He feels a sudden pang of sympathy with Tommy. Being a speedster can't be easy. David ends up getting out a stop too early because he just can't stand it.

Tommy is there when he arrives in his sparkly green form-fitting suit. He's got a hoodie over it, Tommy's version of being incognito, but it's still pretty obvious that he's in costume. David feels odd, not necessarily underdressed. Un-heroic. Like he doesn't quite fit in the same genre as Tommy.

Even so, it's a bit thrilling to see Tommy in his superhero getup, orange goggles and all. He likes the glasses. They're part of Tommy's whole look. God knows he got a lot of shit for his yellow ones. And he bets they're useful if you want to avoid getting bugs in your eyes when you're running faster than the speed of sound.

"You look good in green," David says in lieu of a greeting.

Tommy smiles brightly at him, but turns serious in the blink of an eye. He's really focused on this, David realizes. He mirrors Tommy's mood easily enough, part of him appreciating how seriously he's taking this. Whatever's going on in your life, you need to be able to shut it off when you're on a mission.

Tommy sheds his hoodie and leads him into the warehouse. They set up camp at a sort of balcony. It's high enough up to overlook the floor, but not so high that getting down quickly would be difficult. Not that doing anything quickly is difficult for Tommy. The lighting is dim, but they'll definitely be able to spot an intruder. David settles in, takes care that his position won't lock up his legs, and sets his eyes on the empty warehouse. Next to him Tommy is doing the same, looking in the other direction.

"We probably shouldn't talk much just in case, but I wanted to say thank you for coming with me," Tommy whispers.

"Sure. No problem," David whispers back even though it most definitely had been a problem, and there was thousand things he would rather be doing right now.

They stay silent after that. David can feel the nervous energy radiating off of Tommy. This whole thing is making him more tense that he'd probably like to admit. He keeps tapping his fingers together soundlessly. David respects the dedication to keeping quiet even while fidgeting. They are on a stake-out after all. He shifts his weight a little so his shoulder leans into Tommy's, who leans back.

David zones out, focusing only on what he can see, hear, feel. The dark warehouse, Tommy breathing, the metal balcony cold beneath him. He glances at his wristwatch occasionally to keep track of the time, but mostly he keeps his head empty.

Then there is movement. A shadow that twitches. Tommy is jumping, rolling, hitting the floor, David right behind him. Light from the skywindow hits the figure, and it is definitely someone wearing the Patriot costume. David barely registers that there is something very odd about the way they move, before Tommy is running towards them at full speed and yelling something. But it is not the triumphant one-punch victory David had assumed. Instead Tommy is turning away and crumpling and slowing down. David gets eyecontact with him for a split second, and Tommy looks at him with wide-eyed terror. Then he disappears into nothing.

The thing in the Patriot costume is approaching David, and now it's obvious that's it's not human, never was. It shambles forward, joints bending at odd angles. It reaches out a hand towards David. He stumbles backwards, falls. David needs to stall, figure out exactly what it is, what it did to Tommy, but every time he looks closely he's overtaken by the same whitehot panic he saw in Tommy's eyes.

"Who are you?" David stutters out.

The thing actually replies. _What you can't outrun._ The answer tells him nothing. David needs to keep it talking. Keep it from doing to him what it did to Tommy. The panic's making it hard to get the words out, so David does the only thing he can think of. He pushes the fear away and gets angry. He yells.

It gingerly pulls off a red glove, and underneath is exactly what David expected – and what he didn't want to see. Nothing. It holds out the glove to David, it's so close now. He can see the flesh – only it isn't flesh, it's nothing, he knows that – writhing underneath the blue of the stolen uniform.

"Denial," the thing whispers.

It has a grating voice, if he can even call it that. It's like the sound bypasses David's ears and goes straight to his brain. The words barely register there before it is disappearing in a crackle of white light. David has never been so relieved, but at the same time he wants to reach out and keep it here, force it to bring Tommy back. He sinks to his knees and draws in big gasps of air. His heart is hammering. He squeezes his eyes shot and childishly wishes for time to rewind, for it to be him and Tommy on a boring stake-out again. When David opens his eyes again, he is still in the dark warehouse. He is still alone. It hadn't worked, of course. It never does.

-

David quits his job the next day. He goes into the cramped office of his boss, sits in the squeaky chair and stares at the stain on the white wall right behind his boss's head. Half an hour later he has the pay that both he and Tommy are owed plus a hefty bonus. David didn't even have to yell, just quietly threathen him with a lawsuit big enough to demolish this branch if not the entire company. He was bluffing of course, but David knows enough legalese to make it sound like he already has a lawyer on call, and that there's precedent and what not. In reality, he doesn't have time to stick around for a drawn-out trial, and just finding a lawyer to take the case would be tricky.

Next is moving his stuff from the apartment he's renting and into a storage space, not that there's much there. David' can't really do anything about Tommy's situation, doesn't even know where he lives. Right there he's hit with the staggering realization that he barely knows Tommy at all, and here David is throwing his life away to go rescue him. Well, it's a bit of a shit life anyway. David has never really settled here, doesn't have any friends to say goodbye too either. He told himself it was because he was focusing on making money and then getting the hell out of there. He isn't sure if that's the most accurate description of things, but it's the truth he's most comfortable with.

David should probably call the guy who used to be Patriot next. He doesn't. Eli has apparently gotten out of the whole superhero business, and David really doesn't want to destroy that, wants to believe that it's even possible to get out. Besides he doesn't have Eli's number or even his last name. Tommy's phone disappeared with him. He'd had it in a special pocket in his suit, had been really proud of it too, showed it off. David pushes the thought away. Unless it's actually useful information, he isn't going to dwell on his time with Tommy. He needs to focus. Take action. He spends the day, and a lot of the night too, looking for the Young Avengers who are apparently active again if instagram is to be believed. Tracking their past movements is just a simple matter of running the pictures through some programs and then just looking, connecting the dots. Computers can do a lot, but David is better at pattern-recognition than everyone but the most sophisticated top secret AI's that he definitely shouldn't even know exist.

Discovering their current location is a little trickier. His next weeks are spent visiting every diner that has had sightings of the Young Avengers and then putting on his most winning smile and bribing the waitresses to call him if they ever show up again. He nearly catches up once as they're meeting with three normal-looking adults and Wanda fucking Maximoff. They don't stay normal-looking for long though. Their arms turn into fleshy tentacle globs that shoot out and try to envelop the escaping team. They are gone in the spaceship that they apparently have now before David can catch up. The freakiest thing is that no one is reacting. The waitress pours David another cup of coffee and remarks on how it's so sad that some kids won't come home to their parents, nodding at the scene out the window.

David isn't sure why he can see what's really going on. Possibly it's due to his previous exposure to mind-altering effects and how his mind probably has some of the strongest telepathic shields in the world (besides actual telepaths of course). That doesn't quite make sense though because Wanda is affected. David thinks, or hopes, that Wanda has some sort of psychich defenses. It's hard to draw conclusions on what's going on, why the team is a team again, based only on social media updates and that brief encounter, but David has an idea of what's going on with the Young Avengers, and he doesn't like it one bit.

It takes him another four days of analysis, but finally David knows exactly where he needs to be, a little diner tucked off the side of the road. The Young Avengers have, according to instagram, been victorious in their battle against some not-skrulls, which means that according to their patterns, they should be showing up in about 10 minutes, hungry for breakfast food. David orders everybody exactly what they'll like so it's ready and warm when they show up. He hasn't had the opportunity to show off in ages, and he's going to fucking take it. The stunt also goes a long way to prove his credentials as "the smart guy" if somewhat on the cost of seeming trustworthy.

The Young Avengers show up just as planned, and David's dramatic entrance goes off without a hitch, chairspin and all. David is just about to give them the short version and explain everything quickly enough to not get punched by the angry young woman in the worn american flag sweatshirt who might or might not literally be named America when he's interrupted by the blond guy who must be Hulkling in his civilian form. Teddy, that's his real name.

"He's Prodigy," Teddy says. "Of the New X-Men."

"Oh yeah, I remember reading that on Heropedia. Not sure if the article was accurate though. It listed your powers as being a giant nerd," Billy adds. "Maybe that's why it got deleted."

David sighs. He's going to fucking kill Santo and Vic next time he sees them. Why they thought it would be hilarious to write (mostly joking) articles about the entire team and even post photos, he'll never know. It probably had something to do with the sixpack of stolen beer they'd shared between them. Wolverine never did find out who'd taken it. David remembers that Emma Frost had told Logan to hide his alcohol better if he didn't want people to get ahold of it when he'd complained to her. David had deleted the article as soon as he found out about the wiki, but it was up for nearly two weeks. Long enough, apparently for these two super-nerds to have read and remembered it.

David takes an instant dislike to Loki, who's a kid now apparently and not the mustache-twirling villain that David vaguely remembers from the X-Men's memories. Well, old Loki never had a moustache, but he did have the aura of someone who had. This kid does too. Hawkeye, on the other hand, Kate in her purple jumpsuit, David already likes very much. She's no-nonsense and to the point. She listens carefully as he explains everything, nods once and declares that they're going to the warehouse where Tommy was taken to see if the magic guys can't do something magic bullshit and figure it out. She has apparently decided to trust him.

David gives Noh-Varr, who's a fucking alien – a kree, the coordinates, which he already knows because David is the kind of person who makes it a point to not only learn the adress of a place, but also the longitude and latitude. Noh-Varr flies the ship towards the warehouse, and Kate guides David into an empty, private room to suit up, with the very clear implication that he can keep it if the adventure ends up drawing longer. If he wasn't so depressed and terrified, he'd be very excited right now. As it is, David barely has energy and interest enough to fish out a multitool and screw off the panelling to get a look at the mess of wires and unknown technology underneath. David leans in closer to inspect, and if he's not mistaken, catches a whif of cinnamon coming from the wires. He hesitantly pokes one of them and jumps back as it hisses and recoils at his touch. Any more exploration can wait till he's gotten some actual schematics from Noh-Varr.

His hands nearly don't tremble as he puts on his uniform. David considers that a victory.

David rejoins the team in the cockpit. He's in costume again, and maybe it's good that he doesn't know any of these people because he's got this sinking feeling in his stomach that one of them's going to end up dead. That's just how these things happen. David's going over everything that happened once again, trying to describe the thing inside the Patriot costume. Billy's looking tight-lipped and somber. David knows how he would feel if it was his little sister who got kidnapped by some cosmic horro. He also knows from Tommy that the twins have a rocky relationship to say the least.

"So how do you know Tommy, anyway?" Billy asks.

"Work friends. Work acquaintances really. I haven't really known him long, but he's the type to leave an impact," David says, his fond smile growing bitter.

"That's Tommy for you," Kate says. Everyone nods in agreement.

David is telling the best kind of lie, the kind that has more than one grain of truth in it. He isn't about to come out before he has even figured everything out for himself, and he sure as shit isn't going to out Tommy. Even if this is apparently Team Gay. And besides, David would hate for this to turn into some romantic retrieval quest. Tommy might be nice, real nice, but they've still barely been on two dates. Tommy might have a change of heart and regret everything. David's here because it's the right thing to do.

"So you came together to fight this thing, Mother, you called it?" David asks.

"Yeah. I saved all these nerds from her," America says, grinning.

David grins back, easy, confident. Fake. The attention is on him a little more than he's comfortable with, and the easiest way to turn it around is to start asking the others questions, get them talking. It works like a charm. Turns out they're dealing with an evil inter-dimensional anglerfish whose powers only affect adults and who wants to eat Billy's magic. Huh. Not what David had expected. It also turns out that half the team is new. Well, David had figured that out already. It does make him feel a little less isolated knowing he's not the odd one out.

They reach their destination, and the ship touches down smoothly. David isn't really sure what to do with his face. He settles for a brisk confident nod and leads the way out of the ship, towards the warehouse.

"And you're absolutely sure this is the place?" Loki asks.

"Of course," David replies, voice even. Really, he wants to scream it. Of course he remembers. The moment when Tommy disappeared have been replaying in his mind over and over since it happened. David keeps thinking about what he could have done differently, but he still hasn't found a solution that would've seen both him and Tommy safe. Not that it matters. It's a pointless exercise that just wastes his time and makes him feel awful. If only David knew how to stop doing it.

America pushes open the heavy door to the warehouse. The metal screeches against concrete. They enter, and of course Tommy hasn't magically reappeared. David hadn't even realized that was something he was hoping for. And yet he can't help the stab of disappointment he feels when the warehouse is just as empty as last time he was here. It's not entirely devoid of clues though. Loki, apparently, has picked up some magic trail that can lead them to Tommy through the help of some magic ritual that mostly involves staring dramatically into the air and smearing strawberry jam on the floor. Magic, David is quickly learning, is bullshit. He really wishes he knew more about it. He's met some magic users, some really big ones, and some small-time witches too, but the knowledge has trouble sticking, doesn't make sense. So much of magic is meant to be felt and lived, David knows that much. Too bad he doesn't have an inch of magic potential. Still, David keeps a close watch on Loki, just in case any of his actions start raising red flags, magic-related or otherwise.

The real problem is how to follow a trail that leads to another dimension. America solves it by kicking a hole in reality because of course that's a thing she can do. Going through the starshaped portal feels like a punch to the gut, but the sensation passes in a second. At least the smell of brimstone won't cling to his clothes for days. The world on the other side is colorless and blurry. Focusing heavily on one thing makes his head throb. It doesn't feel like a real place, more like a transitional space, tucked in between dimensions. Patri-not is there, twisted as ever, but no Tommy. David doesn't even have time to register his disappointment, as the Patri-not vanishes, and America kicks another portal into existence to follow it.

David doesn't hesitate, doesn't slow down. They go through three dimensions, each nastier than the one before, following a trail David can't see or trust, before they end up in one that's calm enough to settle down for a night's sleep. No one mentions that the reason everything here is quiet is because it's a wasteland. America volunteers for first watch, and David isn't about to speak up against that. They are camping out in an abandoned building that's so crumbled it's more like a ruin. Billy has magic-ed up some mattresses and blankets. David hurriedly drags his a little away from the group and lies down, pretending to fall asleep instantly, before he gets caught up in any sort of team-bonding. The mattress feels like a normal mattress, but something about the blanket makes his skin tingle. David isn't sure if it's the magic or the scratchy wool. He's still in costume, hasn't been out of it since he put it on. It's gonna be uncomfortable to sleep in, but it's more uncomfortable to wake up with a knife-wound in your gut.

David's been awake for nearly 24 hours, but sleep still has trouble finding him. He keeps thinking of how it could all go wrong. America dies, leaving the rest of them stuck in a nightmare dimension. They would get picked off one by one. In the end there would be no one left to rescue Tommy. There are distinct downsides to always thinking ahead, seeing all the possibilities. David isn't sure if he's seeing possibilites right now, or if it's just his imagination and anxiety running wild. He squeezes his eyes shot, bites down hard, tries to rid himself of the image of Tommy in a place just like this, only all alone and running and so fucking afraid. It doesn't work. David resists the urge to get up. He is weary and wired all at once. He wants to believe there is something he can do, something he can research. And maybe there is, but getting rest is more important. David knows this.

Minutes later, or at least what feels like minutes, David is woken by footsteps coming closer. He sits up sharply, scanning his surroundings. His eyes haven't adjusted to the dark so all he sees is a blurry shape. His heart is beating hard, adrenaline coursing through him. He can't hear any sounds of battle so he calms down a little.

"It's your shift," Teddy calls, voice soft and exhausted. Hearing it makes David calm down, just a little.

"Already?" David says. He thought he'd just lain down.

David fumbles with his flashlight, ignores how his hands are shaking, turns it on. And there's Teddy, standing right next to him, looking like he's about to collapse. Somehow he still finds the energy to smile at David.

"I've got some uh... trailmix, if you want," Teddy says, holding out a half-filled plastic bag. "I'm afraid that's all the food we got besides those weird jell-o cup looking alien protein goo things that Kate picked up on the last world. Can't vouch for those."

"I'll take the trailmix if you're offering," David says.

"I'm afraid I've already eaten most of the m&m's," Teddy says, handing David the bag.

"That's ok, I like raisins better," David lies.

David mostly takes the trailmix to have something to keep his hands occupied. He roots around it for chocolate, but ends up having to settle for almonds. He's climbed on top of the collection of rubble that was once the west wall of the building. His legs are dangling. There's nothing to stare at but darkness. He hears no sounds for the hours he sits there. Sees no movement. His mind keeps drifting to the last time he was on watch. He wasn't alone then. Tommy's absense is like an ache. And that's the real answer to the question David hasn't dared to even ask until now. Why is he here? Why is he throwing away his life for someone he's known for two days? Because he has to. Because something in his body is going to keep hurting until Tommy is back. Fuck.

-

"So how you holding up, David?" Kate asks him on day 3 of their "adventure".

They're trudging through mud that reaches knee-height and being eaten alive by mosquitoes.

"I'm alright," David says.

"Yeah? Yeah, that's good. Glad to hear it," Kate says.

They walk on in silence. David wonders if there's any way to get the mud out of his boots or if that's just his life now. They haven't been to an alternate dimension with a laundrette yet, but here's to hoping. He's glad that Kate hasn't noticed how bad he feels. He doesn't want to bring the team down.

"You were never a superhero?" Kate asks.

"Nah, I just went to Xavier's, and well- I was on Utopia," David says.

"Xavier's must've been fun?" Kate says.

"Yeah," David lies. "Wish they'd taught a class on how to survive in an alternate dystopian future."

Kate laughs at this, but honestly it's strange, knowing the X-Men, that this wasn't a class. Maybe David can call up the Jean Grey school and offer to teach it when he makes it back to Earth. If he makes it back. If only he hadn't burned all those bridges back when he told team Wolverine, they were no different than Cyclops. There goes his future job prospects. It really says something about David's current situation that for a second there going back to the X-Men sounded appealing.

It's fucking surreal, the whole thing. Talking about the school like it was a fun adventure and not a meatgrinder. Sometimes David wishes he could just open his mouth and talk like a normal person. Be honest. But honestly, the few times he's tried, it's had catastrophic follow ups, so he's just going to keep glancing over his past. He'd rather be read as a confident guy who takes everything in stride than someone so fucked up that there's just not room for any new trauma.

"I've been kinda worried," Kate confesses to him. "With everything that's happening, I'm just- I've been stretching myself thin, trying to keep up everyones spirits."

"You're doing great, Kate. And you don't have to worry about me," David says.

Kate grins at him, but he can see how tired she is. His face must look the same. He smiles back and lifts his knees high, taking step after step. He wants to let the mud swallow him whole. Maybe the bugs would leave him alone then. A particularly fat mosquito lands on David's hand, but before it can even suck out a drop of blood, it's smushed by something wet and slimy and heavy and oh god it's the tongue of some mutant frog creature. David barely has time to mentally call himself a mutantphobe before Kate has killed it. An arrow is sticking out its eye socket. Its tongue is still sticking to his hand. David peels it off, but holds on to it, using it to reel in the creature. He pulls out the arrow lodged in it with a squelch and passes it to Kate who grimaces.

"Thank you, now please throw that thing far away where I can't see it," Kate says.

"I'm gonna hold on to it," David says, throwing it over his shoulder. "Maybe we can eat it."

"Mm-hm. Yeah. Sure. Smart." Kate says, looking a bit green.

Even if she isn't the biggest fan of the frog eating plan, Kate still shoots a couple more as they pop out of the mud. She carries them with her arm stretches out in front of her, frog touching the least amount of skin possible. When handing them to David, she practically tosses them at him because she's in such a hurry to get rid of them. David isn't nearly as grossed out. It's just a dead animal and nothing about it appears to be poisonous. David knows this because he discreetly licked a non-mud covered part of the frog's slimy skin, and he's still alive. He's not about to serve poisonous frog to his new acquaintances.

They've scouted for an hour without finding anything but frogs and muds so they head back to the others. It had been a challenge in itself to find a patch dry enough to make camp on. David's inner clock tells him it's late in the evening, but the sun is still impossible high in the sky. This planet must turn much slower than their Earth. If it even turns at all. David thanks his lucky star that they didn't teleport to the side in perpetual darkness.

He looks up from his thoughts to hear Kate delegating. David gets cooking duties as usual. Already there is a routine. He focuses on gutting the frogs, doesn't pay attention to the movement and noise around him. The back legs are big enough to roast whole, but everything else gets chopped up and shoved in the pot Billy magiced up yesterday. David wishes he could have magiced up a proper knife as well, but Billy doesn't know enough about knives to do that. Funny how magic works. Instead he is stuck with his own knife, the kind that's made for stabbing into the soft meat of someone's thigh. It's not perfect, but David makes it work. Teddy stops by with firewood. Where he found is a fucking mystery.

"Need some help starting it?" Teddy asks. "I was a boyscout, you know."

Of course he was.

"Sure," David says because he's trying to be the kind of person who accepts help from others and because Teddy is good company.

The fire takes a while to catch. Some of the wood isn't completely dry. In the end, they get it going, but first after David sacrifices several pages of his notebook. Teddy smiles apologetically like it's his fault.

David gets a stew boiling, made of definitely fine frog meat, probably not toxic river water and hopefully edible wild onions and assorted other green bits. It's going to lack some salt though. Maybe he should cry into it. Even un-salted though, it sounds more tasty than the protein bars they _"liberated"_ from some alternate dimension gas station, at least to David. Then again, he'll eat just about anything. He has eaten most things if you count the experiences of everybody he's ever met pre-decimation.

The frog doesn't quite taste like chicken, or even like normal Earth frog, but it's alright. Everything tastes better grilled. David even manages to get everyone else to try it. Well, almost everyone.

"On principle, I don't eat anything green," Teddy says.

"Sorry babe," Billy replies, biting into a grilled leg.

David laughs along with everyone, and it isn't even forced.

-

On a post-apocalyptic earth, David raids a supermarket with Billy. He's managed to keep the conversation on the mission and the food so far, but Billy keeps trying to ask him about his time at Xaviers. He's so unlike his brother. David feeds him a bland answer about how it was cool and tells him to keep an eye on their surroundings.

"So what are you into? What's your hobbies?" Billy asks five minutes later. He's staunchly determined to bond with David who would be flattered if he hadn't been awake for 48 hours.

"I don't know, books. Nerd stuff," David says. He focuses his attention back on the box of instant coffee, trying to determine if any bugs got in. Whatever. He tosses it in the bag. He'll drink it anyway. The boiling water will sterilize the bugs.

"You like comics?" Billy asks.

"Sure," David says.

"Which ones?" Billy asks.

"I haven't really read a lot. Um, Dragon Ball, Moomins, whatever the library had. I read a bunch of Illustrated Classics as a kid, what more? Oh, newspaper strips" David says. He picks up an ancient pack of gum and unwraps a piece. It's rock hard, but he pops it in his mouth anyway, sucking it like a hard candy. If he ends up dying from post-apocalyptic germs, then so be it.

"How about superhero comics? DC?" Bily asks.

"Eh, not really my thing," David says which is a fucking understatement. Before Xavier's he hadn't cared either way. After, superhero comics were the opposite of wish fulfilment. David never identified with the hero. He was the innocent bystander who got offed on page two, just after getting a name and a backstory in the box text.

"Oh," Billy says. "I've always loved them. I guess just being a powerless kid it was nice to read about heroes standing up for what's right. Probably one of the reasons I became a hero myself. That and I look good in a cape."

"You do," David says, laughing. "Who's your favorite character?"

It's so much easier to listen to Billy talk about the Martian Manhunter than talking himself. David easily finds all the right times to say aha and cool. And it's not like it's some act. David's always genuinely enjoyed talking to people about the stuff that really interests them. It always bring an enthusiasm and energy up that's infectious. He always likes learning something new. It doesn't quite catch David today though because the constant need to be aware of any wandering bands of raiders coming to kill them and use their skulls for soup bowls. They've already had one run-in with such a group yesterday. It really says something that this is the most peaceful world they've visited in a week.

"Did you have fun getting groceries?" Kate asks, as they make it back to camp. It's just a temporary set-up, tarp suspended over sticks to keep out the wind and the dust that plagues this world.

"Sure, there was a discount on tomatoes, and I got to talk David's ear off about J'onn J'onzz," Billy says.

"Thank god you finally have another nerd friend to talk to, so I don't have to settle you and Teddy's dumb arguments," Kate says.

David can't help but be impressed by their seemingly endless well of positivity and jokes. Especially Billy's. He's heard the whispers, and Billy isn't exactly hiding it himself, he's real bad sometimes. He doesn't seem fragile to David though.

-

"So America?" David asks as they're sitting together on a crumbling brick wall, legs swinging over the edge.

She turns her head and looks on him, squinting as the sun hits her eyes.

"Is that really your name?" David asks.

"Yeah," America says. "There's no America the country on my world. It's just a name."

"And the outfit? You're always wearing stars and stripes?" David says.

"Coincidence. Red, white and blue have always been my favorite colors, so when I first came to Earth and needed to replenish my wardrobe, I went for clothes in those colors. I was so excited when I discovered all these clothes with the stars and stripes motif. Didn't know it was the american flag until someone asked me if I was american, and I said yeah my name's America how did you know," America explains.

David starts laughing and can't seem to stop. Maybe his life is a little sad right now, but this is the funniest thing he's heard in weeks. America laughs too, a loud sound that starts in her belly and expands outward. There's tears in David's eyes, he's hysterical. He nearly falls off the wall, but America reaches out a hand to steady him. It takes minutes for them to calm down.

-

David is on watch with Noh-varr, though really it's more of a formality. This world is dead. At first they had thought it was an endless grey dessert, but the sand didn't crunch under their boots like it ought to, wasn't sand at all. It was ash. When the wind whips it up, it gets everywhere, their skin, their eyes, their lungs. David ties a scarf over his mouth and tries to not think about what he's breathing. David glances over at Noh-varr who doesn't seem bothered. Well, he seems bothered, but not like it's the ash that's bothering him. David's been glancing at Noh-varr a lot. It's not like there's anything to watch for, the horizon remains empty.

David can't figure Noh-varr out. There's something odd about him. Something alien even, haha, David thinks. Noh-varr likes music and Kate and not a whole lot of other things. David doesn't understand what's keeping him here, except for the fact that they're trapped in an endless web of shadow dimensions with their only hope of making it back to earth being sheer dumb luck. David, at least, has Tommy to think of, to keep him motivated and focused on the task at hand. Tommy who he's no closer to finding. He tries not to think about that part too much. It's not productive. 

Really, Noh-varr and David are similar. They're both outsiders. America and Loki aren't original Young Avengers either, he supposes, but Loki definitely has ulterior motives for being here, and America has a vested interest in keeping the multiverse safe. Probably. David's pretty sure that's part of her deal. Besides Loki and America somehow slot much more neater into the established Young Avengers dynamic. Noh-varr is only really close to Kate, and David is close to no one. That's his own fault though.

"David?" Noh-varr asks, a hint of frustration in his voice. He taps David on the shoulder.

"Huh?" David answers. Noh-varr must've been saying something, but he had been too wrapped up in his thoughts to listen. What a watchman he was who couldn't even hear someone talking right next to him.

"Can I put on some music?" Noh-varr asks. "I managed to find a couple of tapes last dimension."

David nods. He should say no because music defeats the purpose of watching silently, but really, who's here to notice.

"I'm really into Dazzler, you know her?" Noh-varr says and presses play on the ancient tape recorder.

"Yeah, she's nice," David says, humming along to the disco beat. He knows every word, but he's not exactly in a singing mood.

"Wait, like know-know her?" Noh-Varr asks, mouth agape.

"I mean a little bit, yeah. We've played baseball together, had some kitchen shifts, stuff like that," David explains.

"Is she nice in real life? She seems nice in her music, she seems fun, is she fun in real life? How is she?" Noh-varr says. He opens his mouth to ask yet another question, but contains himself.

"Like I said, I didn't know her so well, we're different generations, and she never taught, but she's nice, yeah. Energetic. Fun too, I guess," David says.

"I've watched interviews, and she seems so passionate, and that passion really shines through in her music, I think it's wonderful. And it's so interesting to see how she has evolved. Some fans aren't as into her newer stuff, which I think is a shame because it's really good. It's different, but at the same time it's a natural evolution. I'd love to see her put out more, but I believe she's on a music hiatus," Noh-varr says.

David smiles and nods.

"Sorry, I did not mean to go on for so long, usually people stop me," Noh-varr says, looking sheepish.

"It's all good," David says and means it. He'd much rather talk about Dazzler than discuss their current situation.

"So what kind of music do you like?" Noh-varr asks, bright and bubbly from talking about his favorite thing.

"Uh... everything? It's kind of hard to answer that ever since I got blasted with the music taste of everyone I'd ever been in a room with," David says. He feels bad about giving such a bland answer to Noh-varr who is obviously very interested.

"To hold so many songs in you must be incredible. But you are also robbed of the joy of discovering them for yourself. Is it good or bad?" Noh-varr asks.

"Both I suppose," David says all the while quietly marvelling about how Noh-varr had managed to hit the nail on the head in so few words.

"What did you like before you got, as you say, _'blasted'_?" Noh-varr asks.

"Jazz, I guess. My parents played it a lot growing up so it's always just been there. I still really like it. A lot of the songs feel like they're mine, it's my memories connected to them," David says.

Just to prove him right, his brain hits him with the memory of Saturdays as a kid, when he'd woken up way earlier than he wanted because his mom was blasting Coltrane in the kitchen while his dad made eggs benedict. He and Kim had groggily stumbled into the kitchen, still in pajamas. His mom's mood had been infectious, killing any complaints on their lips, as she'd pulled them both into a dance. The kitchen had always smelled like freshly brewed coffee on Saturdays, and David had always insisted on having a cup like his mom and dad because he wanted to be cool and grownup like them. Since David got a cup, Kim of course had to have one as well. Neither of them ever had more than a sip or two.

When David had first come to Xavier's, he'd listened to a lot of jazz. It had made him feel both more and less homesick.

"I have listened to jazz of course, especially where it intersects with other genres, but I haven't dived into jazz yet. I think I will though, when the time is right. Sometimes I realize I don't necessarily think about my life in age, I think about it in genres, like the winter I only listened to 90s europop," Noh-varr says.

"Yeah," David says. "I couldn't have listened to europop for a day much less a winter. That's not really my genre, to put it diplomatically."

"I respect that, but really there are no genres I do not like. Maybe there is music that I am not ready for yet, that doesn't make sense with where I am right now, but it will at some point," Noh-varr says.

David nods. He wasn't really prepared for all this poignancy. It kind of sounds like bullshit to his ears, but maybe there's some truth in it. Right now, listening to Alison Blaire's tinny voice sing about fire and joy and phoenixes feel fitting enough. There's always a dark story beneath the happy facade. Every quiet world they've been to, have been quiet for a reason. David never thinks too hard about what that reason is.

-

For weeks, things have been drawn out and moving agonizingly slow with nothing that David could even pretend was progress. Now everything is too fast and blurring together, women in bondage gear with voids for heads are attacking, and then Billy's head is drawn on the sky with stars and then nothing. The dimension is searing white and doesn't look like anywhere they've been before. It's just empty in a way that deeply unnerves David. He can feel something underneath his feet, but he gets the feeling that he could just crouch down and run a hand under them without problem. He doesn't have time to test this hypothesis because the Patri-not is there and then not there, and worse Mother is there.

The white doesn't look any different, but David can feel it squirming around him, pulling him away from the team who do the smart thing and jump through a portal. It's just him and Teddy in the clutches of the parasite. David screams the first magic word that pops into his head. It scares Mother enough to let them get away.

This place is a nightmare, David thinks. You can't run from something when the surroundings look the same no matter how far you go. You can't hide when everything is white blankness. They keep running. Teddy seems sure that rescue is coming. David is unravelling from terror, but he keeps up a front.

"No regrets," Teddy says, sounding like a perfect action hero.

David has nothing but regrets, and god he doesn't want to die. He's achieved nothing, spent so long just surviving, and now that he's going to die he's suddenly decided to live.

He kisses Teddy.

It seems like a fitting action hero thing to do. One last kiss before they die. A show of friendship. He doesn't aim quite right and ends up hitting the right half of Teddy's lips and some of his cheek. It's quick and awkward and not all how he'd imagined his first kiss with a boy. David regrets it the second he does it. Just another one for the pile of mistakes he's already made. He almost hopes Mother will kill them then and there. David quickly adds to the pile by saying sorry and running away from Teddy who catches up with him easily. They find something that feels like a tunnel and crawl through it, but it might just be all in their head. David would rather just wait to talk about this till they're out of here, or preferably never, but Teddy is determined.

"I just wanted to kiss a guy before I died," David says.

If only that was the end of it. Teddy's face is too earnest and kind, and it makes David explain that he's actually bi and how his powers interact with all that. It's a whole monologue. Teddy is being extremely nice about the whole thing, especially considering he's in mortal peril and has a boyfriend. David isn't really attracted to Teddy on any level beyond just appreciating that Teddy is a good-looking guy. He's attracted to the idea of Teddy. Him and Billy are like the perfect sweet boyfriends.

"We're a mess though," Teddy says explains all about how Billy might be unconsciously affecting Teddy.

"Fuck," David says because he doesn't know what else to say. He advices Teddy to get some space between him and Billy, if they survive this, see if that clears anything up, then puts a finger to his lips. If he has to talk any more, he'll scream and that'll certainly alert Mother.

They crouch behind what feels like a wall, but everything is white and shapeless. Mother rips apart their shelter like it wasn't even there to begin with. This is it. This is how he dies. And then the Young Avengers burst out from nothing. David has never been more relieved in his life. In the chaos, Mother lets go of him, and he starts running. America has a portal ready and they all jump through, not caring where it leads.

It's a surprise to be back in the warehouse where it all started. All the adrenaline and relief die in his chest, replaced by a deep sense of dread. The Patri-not is here again, with its cryptic words and unnatural movements. David is so fucking tired. He stops America from going after it because they need some sort of plan. If only he could think of one. At least they have Noh-varrs ship back.

They eat noodles and strategize. David feels like he's repeating the same words over and over again. It's hopeless. Tommy is gone forever. David feels like he's going to cry. He doesn't do it, but he feels like it. He hasn't cried in years.

Teddy takes his advice and leaves. David is sad to lose someone who was going to help locate Tommy, but he also struggles to see how Teddy could help. How any of them can do anything. Billy is upset. It makes David feel rotten, but if nothing is up, they'll get back together, and if Billy really has been unconsciouly manipulating Teddy, then he doesn't deserve David's pity. Besides David is kind of happy to have Teddy gone because it means 100 percent fewer uncomfortable conversations about his sexuality. So yeah, David's emotions are a mixed bag of sadness.

-

Billy approaches him right as David is about to pass out. Right after Teddy leaves. He doesn't say anything. It's dark in his room, but David can tell Billy is looking right at him. Can tell Billy knows everything.

"Later," David says. He can't do this right now.

Billy stares at him, thinking this over, then turns and leaves.

David sleeps for nearly 11 hours, drags himself into the bathroom to pee and take a quick shower for the first time in far too long. He shoves some food in his mouth, then sleeps for 9 more hours. He doesn't exactly feel refreshed as he wakes, but he has the energy to repress every single emotion he has felt these past weeks. He can't get caught up in bullshit drama now. He needs to take one day at a time and keep working on the problems. Destroy Mother. Get Tommy back.

The next days pass by in a blur, all going something like this. The team goes on some barely relevant excursion to discover the secrets of magic and get Billy in tip top matricide shape. David sticks close and listens carefully to every word Loki says. He doesn't know much about magic, but the least he can do for Billy, after everything, is make sure Loki doesn't end up tricking him into doing something that's very bad for the general population and very good for Loki. Billy tolerates his presence. He smiles politely at David even if he's showing far too many teeth and listens to David's advice without rolling his eyes. Then after the magical field trip of the day is over, and they're back on the ship, David lies on his bed, staring up into the ceiling, and waits for sleep to come.

On the sixth day, Loki gets a phone call. Hulking's been taken. The world is ending. Billy is trying to kill himself. And all David can do is stand frozen while the words _my fault_ bounce around his head. He was the one who convinces Teddy to leave. Him. His fault.

Billy magics Loki big, or medium at least, hoping to exponentially up Loki's magic powers, but surprise surprise, it doesn't work. David's lost track of which plan they're on, how many that have already failed, but they must be in double digits at least.

It's starting to look like point of no return, do or die, the final battle. David thinks hard for about five minutes on how to avoid all the dark twisted versions of the team flooding earth and wreaking havoc while they're busy fighting Mother. The solution, it turns out, is blatantly obvious. Adults can't see the problem, but kids can, and David happens to know a lot of gifted youngsters. Only problem now is getting them to do it. He fishes out his phone and spends minutes staring at it. David isn't sure what'll be harder, convincing his old friends to save the world or convincing himself to make the call.

Kate interrupts his brooding, wanting to plan, but David cuts her off. She leaves in an understandable huff. David's got his laptop open, stalling, seeing if he can't find some young heroes with their contact info online. He writes up a sample message, includes what little info they have, and sends it off to the e-mails he found. Then there's nothing left to do, and he quickly scrolls down his contacts, and presses call before he can regret it. If David was feeling really brave, he would call Nori, who is still nominally the leader of a team that never really existed. He calls Julian instead, because no matter what David thinks of him, he is good with words, good at convincing people, influential even. David's already got a strategy for convincing him, which mostly involves playing up how Julian will get to save the world by beating up evil David Alleynes from alternate dimensions.

"Hellion speaking," Julian says, and David nearly groans. Of course he answers with his code name.

"It's David," David says.

There's a sharp intake of breath on the other end, but Julian doesn't immediately reply. David takes his chance and barges on: "Look, I need your help, everyone's help, really."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you need. You're okay, yeah?" Julian says. He sounds so fucking genuine David nearly cries.

"I'm fine. I mean I'm not, but you know... I kind of accidentally joined the Young Avengers, and the world is ending because of some cosmic horror that adults can't see so I need you to gather everyone who's early twenties or younger, and I mean everyone, have Laura call her Avengers friends, anyone you can think of, then meet us, I'll send you the details," David says.

"Okay. I'll get on that. Fuck. There's always something," Julian says.

"You got that right," David responds. "Look, I gotta go, so bye. See you at the end of the world."

"Maybe some time after that too if everything works out," Julian says. "And David? Good luck."

David hangs up and goes to face the team. They've all gathered, supposedly to plan, but at this point there's very little left to do except look each other in the eyes and say goodbye. David explains how he's gathered a bunch of teen heroes plus minus a few years and feeds Kate some line about how he doesn't partake in drama as a response to the world ending. It's bullshit, but also it's irrelevant to the others how long it took David to work up the nerve to call.

Then they're flying off to save the world, and Captain America is there, brainwashed and knowing better than everyone else so really not that different from the regular. It's fucking surreal to see all his old friends, in costume and looking grim. Most of them wave or nod when they spot him. Kate gives a short but sweet speech about how they're all Avengers today. David swears he hears someone huff that the X-Men are the actual majority here today, and someone else reply with isn't that just typical.

Back in the spaceship Loki is monologueing in an attempt to help Billy through the ritual that's going to turn him into an all-powerful force of magic. God, David hates this fucking plan. He gives Billy an encouraging pat on the back because he can't think of something better. They all crowd around America as she smashes her way into Mother's dimension. The fighting begins the moment they're through.

David is on the Patri-not in a heartbeat, but it dodges blow after blow, bending in ways human bodies can't. He's assessing the thing, trying to find a weak spot, a pattern, anything. He needs to destroy it, get Tommy back. It's the only reason he's even here, and if he doesn't do it, he's got no justification for what he's done. David has basically driven Teddy and Billy apart, maybe if he hadn't been there, Teddy wouldn't have left, wouldn't have gotten captured, none of this would have happened. He's been hard on Loki, but David's got a guilty fucking conscience himself.

Maybe not quite as bad as Loki though, it turns out, as Loki reveals that he is an echo of his old evil self and that the people they've been fighting are just manifestations of his guilt made real through magic. The constructs poof away, and after slightly more drama, Loki gets off his ass and de-chair-ifies Teddy. Meanwhile Billy is in obviously deep shit, and David really doesn't know enough about magic to think of a solution, so he goes with his gut and tells Teddy to go to him. Teddy is reluctant, but David gives motivational speech that basically boils down to _magic is bullshit, your love is real,_ and that seems to do the trick.

Then they've won, love has saved the day, and everything is fine. Except Tommy still isn't back. Fighting the thing in the Patriot costume didn't do shit, and neither did yelling or asking nicely. It just dissipates into white nothingness. David wants to scream, but he's always been too good at compressing his emotions down into a little black ball and never ever letting them out, so instead he smiles tiredly at everyone. Back in the real world, he is swept up in hug after hug, and all his old X-Friends take advantage of his post fight grogginess to extract promises of coffee and phonecalls and him visiting the new old school. It's a little overwhelming, but kind of nice too if he's being honest. Before it becomes too much, America rescues him and teleports him and the team to a nice dinner for some celebratory waffles. David chews and does his best to look at bright side. Teddy's back and reunited with Billy. They defeated Mother. But David was always a pessimist, and Tommy is still missing. That's going to weigh on him, until he fixes it and gets him back.

-

David throws himself into researching. There's not exactly a lot of material on mysterious disappearances where people get swallowed by cosmic horror monsters in superhero costumes, so David has to expand the parameters a bit. He still ends up with mostly blog posts and forum threads. Ninety-nine percent of them are definitely fake, but there's real stories hidden between the garbage, and it's quite frankly terrifying to think of how many people go missing and never return, whether for supernatural or mundane reasons. Unfortunately none of the stories get him closer to Tommy.

David hasn't even had time to find a new apartment, just checked into the nearest motel within walking distance of the library. The wallpaper is broad stripes of green, orange and brown. He hates it. He's been there for a week, alone save for the one time America stopped by to take a nap on his bed. Near as he can tell, she's been hopping from place to place, barely stopping to smell the flowers. David understands the impulse, even if what he really wants, after their travels, is stay in one place for so long moss starts growing on him.

A little red 1 pops up, telling him he has a new e-mail. David switches tabs. His face remains blank. He's emailed some people, but it's unlikely whatever info they can give him will lead to Tommy. No reason to get his hopes up. Besides it could be spam. The subject line reads PARTY OF THE YEAR and the sender's mail address is just a string of numbers. David clicks on it, scrunching his brows.

There's going to be a party. Some sort of joint we saved the world slash new year's eve party. David sighs. He's really not feeling it. Then the texts start ticking in, from old friends, new friends, acquaintances who were strangers just a week ago. They're all telling him how excited they are to see him at the party. David sighs again. He's going to have to buy some new clothes. The invitation specified fancy dress. Flirty, freaky and fun was also allowed. David doubts any of his cardigans qualify.

The next day David goes shopping, and there's a white suit calling his name from window display of a semi-fancy store. It's on sale though, which makes it very affordable, so David figures he can at least try it on. It fits surprisingly well for something off-the-rack. Makes him look nice. The cut is classic, but the white makes it bold and modern, especially if he wears it without a tie, maybe with the shirt unbuttoned a bit. Far less stuffy than his black funeral/wedding suit. David buys it without hesitating. He might end up looking more formal than most of the party goers, but fuck it. Better overdressed than underdressed. And if he looks the part, he'll have an easier time getting in the party mood and not think about who is missing from the celebration.

-

Time is slipping through his hands. The same thing keeps happening. David stares at the computer screen, blinks and all an hour has passed. And now it's new year's eve. Fuck. He spends an hour in the lukewarm motel shower, closes his eyes and feels the water drip down on him. The water pressure is terrible.He keeps meaning to get out of the shower, but he can't seem to get his hands to move up and turn it off. Eventually the universe makes his decision for him, as the shower head hisses and sputters a spray of cold water and then stops working completely. David breathes deeply, closing his eyes. He stands like that for a while, much longer than he thought. When he opens his eyes again and mechanically reaches for the scratchy motel towel, he finds that his skin has already mostly air-dried. He wipes the remaining water off and wraps the towel around his waist, and finally finally leaves the cramped bathroom.

All his clothes are laid out on the bed where he left them. David sits down next to them. He picks up his pair of socks, unrolls them and doesn't get further. There's a brown stain where the ceiling meets the wall on the opposite side of where he's sitting. He wonders how it got there, if it's too high to clean, impossible to wash off or if the owners simply don't care. He puts on his left sock, and it feels monumental. It takes five more minutes to put on the right. David groans and pushes himself up on his feet. He puts on underwear, pulls on his new suit pants. It takes forever to button his shirt. His fingers won't work, he pairs up the wrong button and hole, has to undo all his work and start again. David is starting to think that possibly maybe he just might not really want to go to this party. In the end he leaves a liberal amount of the buttons unbuttoned. Whatever. It's a look.

David calls a cab to deliver him right to the doorstep because that way he can't turn around halfway there. He can hear the music as the cab pulls up. He pays the driver and steps out. He blinks. The swirling lights and colors transforms and becomes people, a writhing, laughing mass of them. David sighs and plasters a big grin on his face as he takes the first step towards the party. When did he last go to something like this? He's tempted to say never, but the memory hits him. He and Tommy dancing in a crowded club. It seems so long ago, far-off and distant, but it happened just months ago. Tommy would have loved this party. Would have made David love it. David's grin cracks a bit, but he fixes it in time for anyone to notice. People keep coming up to him and hugging him, but he manages to untangle himself before he gets pulled into conversation. It's easy enough, there's always someone off in the distance who he hasn't said hi to yet.

Someone hands him a drink. David downs it and rushes to the dance floor. If he's dancing, he doesn't have to talk to anybody. He ignores his downwards spiralling thoughts, grins big and pretends to be a mutant with the power of emotional absorption. Everyone around him is happy and smiles when they see him, so maybe it's working. The next song starts, and David recognizes it after four beats. It's an old favorite. He grins, for real this time, and spins around. Then he catches Billy and Teddy standing over to the side, in close conversation, and his heart falls. David hasn't seen them in over a week, hasn't texted either. Nothing. He tries to refocus on the music, but it doesn't reach him in the same way. He sighs. His guilty conscience is going to keep nagging him until he talks to Billy.

David approaches as Teddy leaves to do... something. Get drinks, probably, David's big detective brain deduces. It might be better that way, just him and Billy.

"Hey," David says. "Can we talk?"

Billy turns around, and god, he is angry. David doesn't blame him. He waits while Billy rages, and then it's his turn. He keeps the apology simple, like he's practised in his head. He worries that if he doesn't, all his guilt and fear and self-loathing will spill out and swallow Billy. That would hardly be an apology, just David self-flagellating and Billy being practically forced to forgive him because look how he is suffering. It's better this way. David feels better too. He's said his piece, and Billy will forgive him now or later or never. It's out of his hands. David is just about to make a graceful exit, when Billy fixes him with a gaze.

"Why?" Billy asks. "Why'd you do it?"

"Because- because- fuck," David says. Billy caught him by surprise. He doesn't know why it's so hard to put into words. His brain has been turning it over since it happened.

"I thought I was going to die. And I'd never kissed a guy or even let myself want to kiss a guy, and I just... I wanted," David says. It sounds like bullshit to his ears. Miraculously though, Billy is nodding, and looking more annoyed less angry.

"He's a really great guy," David says. "Treat him right."

"Because you'd jump him if I was off the scene," Billy asks, one eyebrow raised.

"Nah," David says and discovers he means it one hundred percent. "Because it's what he deserves."

"Yeah," Billy says and smiles really softly in a way that makes David's heart ache. He was never in love with Teddy, but maybe he was kind of in love with their love.

David smiles at Billy one last time and excuses himself. He has another encounter to resolve.

David has had an inkling of who the mastermind and money behind the party was all along, but he hasn't said anything because honestly Loki is so low on his list of stuff to deal with. Why should he spoil the fun for the others? His hypothesis is confirmed when he sees Loki outside, in the process of handing over literal trays of gold to the wait staff. They share a brief moment of eye contact, and David silently communicates _Yes, I knew what was going on. I might not be as much of a slippery bastard as you are, but I am every bit as smart._

Loki is saying something, trying to convince David to just let him slither off into the darkness and never contact the team again. David should probably just let him do it, but instead he reaches out, talks about the first step to being a hero is saving the world from yourself. Loki considers this, staying silent. David meanwhile thinks of that afternoon so long ago when twenty years passed by in an instant, and he killed all his friends. It had been nothing but a simulation, but it had felt real. So maybe David can relate a little bit to having vague memories of doing bunch of heinous shit, and he doesn't really want to burn his bridges with Loki. It never hurts to have another magic user on speed dial.

Maybe David was a little too encouraging because suddenly Loki is waggling his eyebrows and talking about the traditional human way of celebrating the new year's, inching closer to him. David refuses, and Loki pretends that it was all just a classic Loki prank and disappears in a puff of smoke. It's for the best because he really isn't David's type. David likes good guys. One specific good guy. His heart flutters, and then he feels very very cold because what good is his affection when the target is still missing.

And there's the Patri-not. David isn't even scared anymore. Just resigned. Whatever's going to happen, will happen. He just wants Tommy back. They talk, as much as you can have a conversation with a cosmic horror who only speaks in cryptic riddles. David had kind of hoped that interacting with it would give him an idea as to how to get Tommy back, or maybe that Tommy would magically reappear. That doesn't happen.

David finishes his monologue, his horrible theory, explains how he thinks he will become the Patri-not one day to save the future by saving the past, and the Patri-not, bastard, just mutters cryptically in a voice that grates and tickles and begins slipping away into nothingness.

"No!" David shouts and grabs the thing's arm. His hand buzzes, and whatever he can feel under the fabric, it isn't skin.

The Patri-not doesn't pull away, it leans in closer and tilts its head.

David only has one idea left, and it's a bad one. He kisses the monster because this isn't a horror story, it's a fairytale. The fabric of the mask isn't rough against his lips at all, it feels like smooth pliable plastic, and it doesn't have a temperature. David blinks and when he opens his eyes again, Tommy is there, and he is kissing Tommy, who's there and alive and warm, and they're kissing. And then Tommy jerks away.

"Fuck! Give a guy a little warning next time," Tommy all but shouts.

Tommy looks around, and his eyes widen.

"This is... this is not the warehouse. Where are we?" Tommy asks.

"It's a long story. Short version: You disappeared, I found the Young Avengers to get some help finding you, kinda ended up joining them, we saved the world, and now there's a party," David says, preparing himself to dredge up every uncomfortable memory from the last couple months. It turns out not to be necesarry.

Tommy hears the word party, turns his head and notices the music and lights and goes running down the hill, big grin on his face. Maybe David should be heartbroken that Tommy had reacted like that to the kiss, but all he's feeling is relief. Tommy is back, safe, happy even. Whatever's between them, they have all the time in the world to figure out. David hasn't given up hope. He smiles to himself. Then he stands up and goes to rejoin the party. He feels like dancing.

America sees him coming and nods at him. He walks over to her.

"David! Just the guy I was looking for. Drink this!" America says and passes him her glass of punch.

David takes a sip of the nearly full cup. He winces. It's like drinking liquid cotton candy with a dash of rubbing alcohol thrown in for good measure.

"Mmm.... Delicious," David says, deadpan.

America laughs and slap him on the back just as he's taking another sip. The punch splutters out between his lips. David coughs. He points an accusing finger at America who just laughs.

"Hey, could you look at my butt?" David says, and after seeing America's grossed out face, he adds: "I sat down in the grass, I wanna know if there's a stain."

"Why did you wear white pants? That's a rookie mistake. But sure, I'll make a great sacrifice and look at your butt," America says. "Hope my lesbian card doesn't get revoked."

David spins around a couple of times. America brushes a piece of grass off his thigh but otherwise declares him clean. David downs the rest of his drink and grabs her hand, pulling her towards the dance floor. She shakes her head violently, curls bouncing, but she's still following him. The music gets going, and David spins America around and dips her dramatically.

"Bet I could lift you if you came running at me," America whisper-screams in his ear as Time of my Life comes on. David grins, and they re-enact Dirty Dancing.

Afterwards, girls flock them, all wanting to be picked up, and David makes a gracious exit, winking at America. He looks for an out of the way place to observe the party. His head is still spinning a little. He needs a break. There's only one quiet corner that doesn't have a couple making out in it, so David hurries for it. He's only a little unsteady on his feet. David doesn't notice that the spot is occupied till he gets there. Nori is leaning against the wall, sipping a drink the exact shade of her electric blue hair. She lights up in a smile as she sees him, and he copies her. Then they both school their features into neutral expressions.

"Hey," David says, softly. He wonders if she can even hear him over the din of the party.

"Hey yourself," Nori replies.

David finds himself at a loss for words. He pauses for a moment, nodding his head to the music. Nori takes a sip of her drink.

"I wanted to say thanks. You know for helping out back then. I didn't catch you in the aftermath, so I'm saying it now," David says. If he's being entirely honest, he hadn't looked particularly hard for Nori after the fighting was over. They'd never really made up after the break-up, and when she'd left for camp Wolverine, they'd just stopped talking completely.

"Any time, David. Just another tuesday, am I right?" Nori says.

"Technically the battle took place on a saturday," David says, already kicking himself as the words leave his mouth. That's such a fucking pedantic thing to say.

"You know, David, this is the reason we're not together anymore," Nori says, but she is grinning, and surprisingly the words don't sting at all.

"That the only reason?" David asks.

Nori looks him dead in the eye, and they both break out laughing like they haven't done in years. He's really missed her, but that's probably not the kind of thing to tell an ex. Even if he wants to.

"I've missed you," Nori says.

"I was just thinking the same and then thinking that I probably shouldn't tell my ex that," David says, chuckling.

"You were always the smart one," Nori says.

They chat some more, and it's nice. Nori gets him up to date on the latest mutant bullshit drama, and it's a competition of who's the best at rolling their eyes. David shares a funny anecdote about the extra-dimensional roadtrip from hell, then admits how much the whole thing had sucked. Nori looks down, shyly, and suggests that maybe they should get lunch together sometime with Sofia and Josh, maybe even Dani. David nods. That would be nice.

"You know, there's something I've been wanting to tell you," David says, and oh god, he is really doing this.

Nori nods and tilts her head attentively.

"Probably should tell everyone, but I can't find anyone in here, and it's gonna spread before I can get to them and-" David says quickly, before his anxiety catches up and keeps him from speaking.

"Relax. You really got something you wanna tell everyone?" Nori asks.

David nods.

"Then I got you," Nori says, throwing him a not at all trustworthy thumbs-up.

Nori begins yelling and zapping around, lightning fast, coralling up all his old classmates and herding them away from the party, to a quieter spot. Some people respond with grumbles, some with laugher. David can barely hear them. His heart is well on its way to hammering through his ribcage and out into the open air. Metaphorically. David has tried it the literal way so he can tell the difference even if it's a struggle right now.

It takes a while for everyone to quiet down, partially because David doesn't look like a guy about to speak, partially because the collective noun for a group of mutants is an argument. David's looking at the ground, hands shoved in his pockets so nobody can see how tightly he's clenching his fists. His nails dig into the soft meat of his palms. Nori shoots him a look and nudges him encouragingly with her elbow. David opens his mouth, but can't seem to get any words out.

"So what was it you wanted to tell us?" Megan asks. Her cheeks are pink, and she's smiling wide, showing off sharp teeth.

"Yes. Um, well..." David says, rubbing the back of his head. "Here it goes. I'm bisexual."

Everyone responds at once in a happy cacophony of _congratulations, good for you, thanks for telling us_. People are smiling and clapping his back, giving him brief hugs. It's all a little overwhelming and hard to focus on, so David zones out a little. Somehow it's very comforting to just stare at Santo's big rocky hand thats shaped into a thumbs up gesture.

"That all?" Julian asks. "You bring us out here in a big circle to make a dramatic announcement, I figured you at least we're gonna tell us you-!"

Julian is cut off by Cess who cuffs the side of his head and says "Fuck off, Juls."

Julian doesn't say anything else, but he gets eye contact with David and nods. David smiles back.

"We're honored that you have chosen to tell us this," Sooraya says.

"Sure. No problem," David says in what he hopes is a casual tone. He can feel himself getting choked up. He's never been close with Sooraya, but he's always considered her a friend. She's important to him. Every single person here are important. This kind of response means a lot.

"Listen, David!" Santo says, a little louder than necessary and clasps an arm around his shoulder. "Do you need a wingman? Because I am an awesome wingman!"

"He's a terrible wingman!" Victor yells, throwing his arm around David from the other side.

"You don't even have wings!" Megan yells.

David ducks out from their grasps before he gets caught in their bickerings. The mass of X-Kids is slowly moving its way back to the dance floor. David hangs back a little, watching his friends look happy and like they haven't a care in the world. He hasn't seen them like that in far too long. Nori siddles up to him.

"So that went well? You're happy with it?"Nori asks.

"Yeah," David says. "A little faster than I'd planned for, but yeah I'm glad I did it. You've always been good at pushing me."

"Good at pushing you away," Nori says with a dry laugh.

"That too," David says. "And I was too good at letting you do it."

It feels like a bubble has burst. With Nori. With everyone really. He's buzzing with energy, but at the same time he feels calm. Weightless.

"Never again, David. Fuck our history and fuck the past. From now on, we're gonna be cool drama-free friends. I lost you once. You're never fucking getting rid of me again," Nori says and to underline her point, she jumps on his back, clinging to him like an octopus.

"Sounds good to me," David says and takes of running towards the party.

-

Tommy bumps into him on the dance floor. Literally. Hip first. David bumps back, and they spin around each other wildly. It's fun and so much easier than talking. Then the hard rhythms fade into a song made for slow dancing, and couples pair up. David curses Noh-varr who's just a white speck up in the dj booth. Tommy keeps swaying with the music for a second then stops abruptly. He reaches out his hand slowly, slower than he normally moves, slower than normal people move. David has all the time in the world to pull away. He doesn't. Tommy grabs David's hand and leads him away, to a private nook where it's just the two of them. David's heart is beating loud enough to drown out the roar of the party.

"So," Tommy says.

"So," David replies.

Silence hangs heavy between them. It's tense, but not in a bad way. David smiles shyly at Tommy who hasn't let go of his hand.

"So I realized I might have been sending some uh... mixed signals, you could say. Freaking out when we kissed. Dancing with Kate at midnight," Tommy says, voice calm, but his fingers are drumming rapid-fire against his thigh. "And uh, I just wanted to make it clear that I like you. Still like you. Only you."

David blinks. He's speechless. All this time, he's worried about if this was real. If he and Tommy were real, or if he'd just constructed some fairytale savior narrative in his head, blown his emotions out of proportion, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that jazz. But here is Tommy, and he wants just like David wants, and David has no idea what to do with that.

"I mean if you've forgotten all about me, it's been months for you, and if the date didn't really mean anything to you, I mean it's fine, we don't have to, I just wanted to tell you, but it's fine, I um-" Tommy trails off.

David still has no words or maybe he has far too many, so instead he pulls Tommy closer. Their knees bump against each other. Warmth is radiating off of Tommy. David bends his head down, and Tommy rises up on his tiptoes. Their lips meet, slow and deliberate. The kiss stretches into an eternity, but lasts barely a second. It doesn't matter to David. He knows there will be many more kisses.

"You're lucky, you know," Tommy says with a crooked smile. His face is flushed.

"How come?" David says out loud, meanwhile his heart is screaming _yes, yes, I know_.

"Usually I'd make you wait at least another date before kissing. I'm not one to rush into stuff, you know? But I figured I'd make an exception for you. Besides we'd already done it before by accident, so what's the harm?" Tommy says.

David laughs and kisses Tommy again and thinks if that was all he got to do for the rest of his life, he would be happy.

**Author's Note:**

> _a small post fic theater_
> 
> tommy: you kissed teddy?!  
> david: sorry i wanted to try it w a guy. in my defense i thought i was dying  
> tommy: yeah yeah whatever why Teddy??  
> david: huh??  
> tommy: obviously you should have kissed billy  
> david: ew  
> tommy: we're identical twins!  
> david: still. ew. plus youre way hotter  
> tommy: oh. cool  
> *they make out*


End file.
